Soul Eater: Angels of Death 2

Chapter 1

James looked down at his chest, a thin black blade impaling him. "I'm dead... this is where I die." He panicked as he felt the blade rip backwards. He was holding his partner Ryan in shield form but dropped him. "Ryan please don't transform, just stay in your shield form... you'll be ok." James turned to face his attacker, a large demon, Plagosus. The demon was holding Mephisto in his right hand and brought the blade back. As he brought it back James saw Damien jump toward him. Plagosus turned his attention and cut through one of Damien's arms, his limb falling to the floor as he dropped his weapons before Plagosus pinned him to the floor with one of his grey, muscular legs. "Not you too! Why can't I move!" James was paralyzed but he looked around the smoky battlefield. Kyle and Ana lay on the floor, bleeding and unconscious. Liliana was kneeling over Damien alongside her sisters, watching helplessly as Damien was bleeding to death. James looked over his shoulder and saw students burning, the scent of seared flesh filling his nostrils. Ethan's vest was in shreds on the floor to his left. It was burnt and blackened from the explosion he had caused.

"They've all died now boy," Plagosus hissed, "Where were you shield bearer?" The demon did not give James time to respond before sweeping the blade through his neck. James attempted to scream but there was a soft wet gurgle as he felt his head roll cleanly from his neck, the demon's laughter replacing all sound as the world went black.

James suddenly shot up in his chair, sweating slightly from the nightmare. He looked around his dim office as papers fell off of his desk. "Just another nightmare," James sighed as he slumped down and leaned back into his chair that had a faded purple long coat draped over it. "Every night for four years now..." He began to collect the fallen, ungraded papers of his students. He noticed one that he had graded with an "F." It simply read "The best defense is an unrelenting offense." The name at the top of the paper read Victor Thomas. As he stacked the papers back onto his desk he saw a feminine silhouette in the doorway of the office. The figure reached over and pushed the light switch up.

"Professor what are you doing in the dark?" The girl asked James as he squinted at the full light. She was younger than James, wearing an emerald green suit jacket with black slacks. Her dark red hair fell down below her shoulders and framed her soft pale face. Her green eyes looked playful and happy at first until they saw the distressed look on James face. Her expression changed, showing concern for the teacher. She walked over to him quickly, looking down at him. "Another nightmare?" She asked concernedly as she adjusted his crooked grey bowtie to better fit his white collared shirt. He was wearing black slacks and a grey vest.

"The same one," James sighed as he looked up at her, "Every time I fail to save them Rebecca, I just don't get it. I know they lived so why does it still bother me?"

"It's called survivors guilt," Rebecca answered. "I get nightmares about my brother sometimes, that night in the park still haunts me."

"Having a partner now helps a little bit," James half smiled looking up at her, "I wanted to grade these papers but I guess I'll get it done tomorrow. I need to go home and rest, plus seeing Victor's paper kind of put me in a crappy mood as far as grading goes."

"Then get some rest," Rebecca smiled as she took his coat off the chair and held it up, "What is his problem anyway? I understand Evan took Ryan's death hard but Victor is not involved at all. Does he just not take the class seriously?"

"He's just a kid," James sighed as he stood up and slipped into the coat.

"And what about Evan?" Rebecca asked the young professor.

"His work is average but his attitude toward me is just..." James sighed, "I don't know I feel sorry for the kid. His brother was my partner and I think he blames me for his death." James appeared to shake off the sadness on his face. "I think I'm gonna go home and make some tea, maybe get these papers graded the rest of the way through."